In closing, I think that if Rockstar were to treat this like the Grand Theft Auto series they would have yet another very successful franchise on their hands. Bully is a masterpiece in all aspects of the word and in my book, fully worth of at least one sequel. I would love to see Bully 2 coming to my Xbox 360.

Canis Canem Edit is undoubtedly one of the most engaging, enjoyable and immersive experiences to hit console this year - if not longer. Blanketed in the sorts of polish that seem to escape the grasp of most other western developers, Rockstar has refined its open-world formula to the nth degree. There isn't an inch of wasted space in Bullworth Academy and beyond - and every encounter, objective or activity simply serves to deepen an already impressively realised world. By ditching the increasingly hackneyed juvenile gangsta schtick of the Grand Theft Auto games and returning to its roots in the most literal sense imaginable, Canis Canem Edit manages to be the culmination of Rockstar's previous achievements, becoming - ironically enough - the company's most mature game to date.

I admire what Rockstar has done with Bully. They've taken the same formula they've made millions of dollars with, and they've refined it so that it fits a totally different setting. If there is anything that can be learned from Bully, it is how a good RPG should be designed. It captures an atmosphere, gives you characters you can approach with some emotion, and manages to contain itself, while not limiting itself, to a point where the game is acceptable for kids. I know most parents probably don't want to encourage violence, but anyone with a superego is going to be well adjusted enough to play this game and not go punch their friends in the mouth afterwards. Bravo, Rockstar, you've filled an untapped niche brilliantly, and in the way that only your studio could.

I'm surprised by just how much controversy there was behind Bully, since it's so tame compared to the stuff you'd see in a GTA. Bully is definitely deserving of every accolade it gets, but many of the complaints against its content seem absurd after playing it. There's no graphic violence, and much of the fighting is done out of either self defense or in defense of someone weaker than their attacker. Needless violence is punished in the game, so there's even a moral lesson to be learned from it. Hopefully time allows people to forget about the pre-release complaints, and instead focus on the enjoyable gaming experience Bully provides.

Bully is an extremely easy game to recommend, it's a lengthy adventure (clocking in at over 30 hours) full of memorable characters and exciting missions. It's the type of game that will no doubt remind you of everything you loved and hated about high school, all while keeping you engrossed in one of the best stories of the year. With all of these next generation consoles hitting the market it's easy to forget about some of the PlayStation 2 games, but Bully is not something you should pass over. Rockstar's newest game is easily one of the best games I have played all year, an adventure game that will stick with you long after you've finished your final class and graduated from Bullworth Academy.

While not quite up there with GTA size and scale, in many ways this title surpasses Rockstar's other efforts. There's a better story, better combat and much more humour. Canis Canem Edit (aka Bully) is certainly worth adding to your PS2 collection this Christmas.

That, and many others, are lessons rival developers, keen to cash in on GTA's success, could do with absorbing. In recent years, they've declared open season on the genre Rockstar created and then propelled to infamy with GTA III, but even those of you who've become disillusioned after an endless barrage of games like The Godfather, Saints Row and True Crime will gain plenty of enjoyment from Bully. Not overly long and certainly not difficult, it nevertheless defies its ignorant detractors, and ultimately redecorates the house Rockstar built with flair and imagination.

With that said, Bully's charm lies not in originality of gameplay, which is a mishmash of Rockstar's best innovations in five years of reign on PlayStation 2. It doesn't lie within the game's visuals, which while good, aren't really anything to call home about. It's about the experience. Just when the game gets a little annoying, just when it's irritating to find a classroom and dodge a group of white-shirted hoodlums, there's a sudden breakthrough, and after that, the game goes on to become one of the year's best, because it diverts from GTA's hyper-violent barrage of social satire and genital jokes to be something more subtle, but equally meaningful. Young people might not appreciate it as much because they're still living it. For that reason, don't buy Bully for your younger relatives. Buy it for yourself.

Rockstar has already made millions with Grand Theft Auto, so we can't say that they have thrown us, the gamers, another piece of meat to feast on. Actually, they took everything they had ever created so far and recycled it adding tons of new stuff and concepts that lacked from previous games. Is this a flawless game? No, but only because there is no such thing as perfect games. If there was such a game out there, that would be Bully.

Canis Canem Edit somewhat came out of no where although during its early development stages Rockstar was pushing this one quite hard. It's come about a year after it was expected but this is one game that you can say was helped by its extended development. It may not be GTA and it doesn't reach the heady heights of San Andreas in terms of crazy missions but for those who want the next GTA clone which is fun, look no further and swap your leather jacket for a school uniform.

Bully is a wonderfully unique title that offers many hours of entertaining gameplay. Rockstar once again takes gaming to uncharted territory, and it has paid off. If you’ve ever enjoyed a GTA game or The Warriors, this is a title that shares their level of quality while remaining entirely original.

Bully fires on all cylinders from start to finish. Rockstar has done it again. They've taken a simple idea and have expanded it into a world that just may still continue to function even after you shut the game down. When you look at your watch and wonder where the last four hours went, then you know you're part of something memorable. It's a guarantee that gamers we'll be talking about this game for many years to come.

Despite these small niggles, the game is an absolute blast to play. I enjoy the fact that is Canis Canem is fairly simple and not to difficult, Canis Canem Edit provided and 'easy-gaming' experience, that wasn't ever really too difficult to make me frustrated. The game flows well in terms of storyline with a plot that is simplistic but well made. Canis Canem Edit also has a great sound track. Rockstar has done an even better job in this game than in previous GTA outings and the comedy, although painfully simple and childish, will bring a smile to everyone's face.

Like the Grand Theft Auto games, Bully succeeds not because of a compelling main storyline, but because of the sheer amount of things to do. Jimmy's story is interesting, but its only part of what makes the game great. There's so much to do and since all of it is entertaining, you constantly feel indecisive about what to do next. Classes, carnival rides, hidden rubber bands, secret challenges, go kart races - almost anything you can think of that a fifteen year-old boy would want to do is packed into the game. You can even make out with girls should you desire (or select boys). All of this content, combined with a stellar visual presentation, ensures that you'll be playing for hours.

Canis Canem Edit somewhat came out of no where although during its early development stages Rockstar was pushing this one quite hard. It's come about a year after it was expected but this is one game that you can say was helped by its extended development. It may not be GTA and it doesn't reach the heady heights of San Andreas in terms of crazy missions but for those who want the next GTA clone which is fun, look no further and swap your leather jacket for a school uniform.

Bullworth is a tough school, but Jimmy is a tough kid. Bully is the story of a troubled young person that tries to survive life in some rough conditions. His parents dumped him off at a school foreign to him, with malevolent students and faculty. As Jimmy struggles to become accepted, he keeps fighting on. This isn't the violent school shooting simulator that we were all expecting. I actually wonder if Take-Two intentionally released a milder game with an edgy topic to see the media's reaction to their punt fake. Bully is likely Rockstar's final major release on PlayStation 2, and as such, a worthy conclusion to the generation.

Coming off of a long session of playing Bully, you could easily feel like that time was spent with a GTA title. But whereas the countless knockoffs have simply tried to recreate that experience, Bully has taken the genre and used it in a completely different mold; it's this extremely fresh take on things that makes it so much fun. Whether you're tired of the formula or not, Bully deserves a look.

Overall, try as I might, I can’t find a single negative thing to say about Bully. The graphics are where we expect them to be, the story and voice acting is top-notch, the gameplay is interesting and exciting. Bully is a game that fires on all cylinders, offers something of a social message (or at least a comment on the high school experience), and is just plain fun. It may well be one of the best games released this year.

While the morality issue here may be a dangerous minefield of a gray area, the game as a whole is certainly not. It does have low points, but they’re more than outweighed by the fun and innovative elements. If you had any fun with GTA whatsoever, or enjoy the game play of a sandbox type game but long for tamer content, you’ll have a great time with this one. Whether you loved high school or hated it, this game will make you want to give it another shot. If you’re still in high school, well you had better ask your parents if it’s OK first, especially if your dad happens to be a crazy lawyer...

Bully isn't a very difficult game, and it's likely that you'll be able to get through the storyline and see its somewhat predictable conclusion in about 15 hours or so. If you're a completist, there are plenty of hidden objects to collect, clothing items to purchase, and side missions (like bike races) to take on, and you can go back and do those things after finishing the main game. Overall, it's interesting from start to finish and most definitely well worth playing.

In general Bully is quite fun to play. There are a few control problems and loading times can sometimes be a pain, but otherwise it's just an enjoyable game. Despite all the negative press, the game still deserves its T rating, as there's nary an f-bomb or a sign of real weapon violence (guns, etc). This one hits right on the dot, and is a must have for any fan of the GTA series.

You can be one of the titular bruisers in Bully if you want - toss eggs and shoot bottle rockets at people all day long if you want - but you can't truly progress in the game unless you come to understand anti-hero Jimmy's actions. He may use his fists to solve problems and he may have gotten kicked out of several different schools on his way to Bullworth Academy, but that's because he fundamentally rejects what's rotten in our world - selfish, moralizing adults who are worse at following their own platitudes than those that they force them on and a dog-eat-dog social structure that rewards those with unbridled ambition and "manliness" over people who have real talent and compassion for others.

Any fan of the GTA series needs to pick up Bully. Outside of the murder and hookers in GTA, Bully has it all and because it takes place in an academy, Rockstar had to come up with other ways to be deviant. I think most people can think of a few pretty wild stories from your school days. There really isn't any content in this game that should worry parents unless of course they aren't even teenagers yet. Bully comes highly recommended.

In the end, Bully is a game about getting rid of bullying as muchas it will let you bully. You could compare Jimmy to the guy who unitedChina, while it may be done by force; it wasn’t all his choice to crushthem until they worked with him. The cast is colorful and varied,especially the hobo that teaches you to fight out back. It is a fungame that is unique enough to avoid being tossed in the same bin as theGTA games. Being young and with no hip hop gangs to worry about is anoddly rewarding experience.

Overall while playing Canis Canem Edit you do wonder where all the fuss about the game has come from, the complainers have obviously never played the game because it’s a light-hearted fictional school world with about as much violence as Power Rangers – your average Harry Potter story contains more violence. It’s a typical Rockstar quality game, great story, decent looks, cool sound and a great play too.

In summary, Canis Canem Edit takes the well-trodden city-based 'sandbox' path, adds plenty of it's own style and originality and comes out with a pleasing, well-rounded and well-developed game. Although it can't always shake the feeling that it is a GTA-lite game, and it is probably forever fated to live in the shadow of bigger games in the genre, it is possibly the best example since San Andreas and well worth a try for fans of similar games. Let's hope to see a sequel which will hopefully break free of comparisons and establish CCE as a quality series in it's own right.

There are almost no complaints in terms of gameplay. It has a lot of Rockstar’s trademark annoying, agonizing (but in a good way) obsessive searching for objects (i.e. rubber bands, trading cards, transistors, etc.). You fight but never kill, play pranks that are malicious but not truly injurious, pick locks, unlock map areas and vehicles like skateboards and bicycles and… lots of other neat stuff that one should really experience for oneself. Graphics are very good, but not great. Controls and camera angles are very user friendly. Play mechanics are superb. Sound is mediocre – the only area where Bully does not make the grade, but it detracts little from the enjoyment overall. Highly recommended. What else is there to say?

In the end, Bully is a rather humorous and satirical take on high school that incorporates the entire prospect of choice during school life. Jimmy Hopkins is hardly a model student, but the game rewards the right choices and progresses in a way where Jimmy gets ahead by not breaking the rules. Whether this game is taken as social commentary, mere satire, or both is up to the player. All in all, though, Bully is a solid game, if a bit monotonous, that doesn't take itself too seriously - leave rational thinking at the door and bring your sense of humor when playing this game, and you'll have a great time.

This game will entertain you, especially if you like action/adventure/GTA styled games, but with loose game play like this it’s hard to tell whether you’re doing well or not, or even what your ultimate goal is. It definitely won’t be featuring in my collection, but you shouldn’t totally ignore it either.